"It was a strong-worded message, but a well-founded one. I support it, because if institutions are not functioning, if there is no rule of law, corruption will have a chance," Mesic told reporters at a reception for state officials held at the President's Office.
"In today's world there is less and less solidarity, and more and more struggle for material gain and neglect for humane components of our lives," Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said, adding that the government had adopted an action plan for the prevention of corruption and that it would do its utmost to eradicate it.
Despite some differences of opinion, both Mesic and Sanader stressed that Croatia still had good relations with the United States and that those relations had not been marred by a letter which the USA had reportedly sent to EU member countries urging them not to set a date for the start of Croatia-EU entry talks until runaway general Ante Gotovina appeared in The Hague.
"We have good relations with the USA, certainly, there are some positions which are not identical, but this is understandable because we are trying to protect our interests. We do not have to be in agreement with everybody on all matters," Mesic said.
He added that Croatia was still active in the international anti-terrorist coalition and was cooperating with the USA on all fronts, "except we are not present in Iraq".
Mesic would not comment on the letter, stating that he had not seen the full text. Asked why the USA had decided to send such a message, Mesic said that the question should be put to US representatives.
What is important is that European countries were completely unambiguous in their position that Croatia belongs to the EU and that the entry talks could begin, he said.
Sanader confirmed that two weeks before the decision on the start of Croatia-EU entry talks the USA had lobbied for granting Croatia a date for the start of talks only on condition Gotovina was transferred to The Hague.
"The USA has the right to do that, but the EU is an association which decides independently which candidate will be admitted, when and under what conditions," Sanader said.
Asked to comment on US Ambassador Ralph Frank's statement that the Croatian prime minister would not be invited to the White House until Gotovina was handed over, Sanader said that he had not read Frank's statement but recalled that he had met US President George Bush twice at the White House.
"I believe that it is unnecessary to aggravate relations because the US is Croatia's strategic partner," the PM said.